Honorary Chairs:
Tom and Laura Leppert

Education is Freedom envisions a world where every young person can pursue a college education regardless of social or economic barriers. Since its inception, EIF has helped 100,000+ students and their families complete the college process with a long-term vision of developing a skilled and educated workforce.

Your support enables EIF to overcome the achievement gap between minority and majority students as well as low-income and mid-income families to improve students’ classroom performance and change the course of their life. Half of your support goes directly to an Education is Freedom 2018 scholar through a scholarship fund. Your named scholarship fund may be personalized to serve one or more scholars to ensure they have the financial resources necessary to cover college expenses not traditionally covered by scholarships or financial aid.

In our 2nd year, An Evening with the Stars Scholarship Reception celebrated Dallas’ brightest scholars. An Evening with the Stars honored 101 EIF scholars with scholarships, ranging from $100-$1,000, totaling $42,800 for college expenses not traditionally funded by financial aid. Our sponsors helped make this evening possible for 2017 graduates as well as helped ensure that we are able to provide valuable EIF programming to students across 1 Dallas ISD middle schools, 8 Grand Prairie ISD middle schools, and 20 Dallas ISD high schools.

Education is Freedom transforms lives
through education by
resetting students expectation of what
their lives will look like.

- JPMorgan Chase

Education is Freedom participants are primarily minority and economically disadvantaged students. The majority of of these students will be first-generation high school graduates and college students. These students excel through their school attendance, extra-curricular activities, community service, school leadership positions, and academic clubs. Their academic gifts earn them higher GPAs and standardized test scores than their peers.

Julia, EIF Scholar

Julia, a quiet senior at North Dallas High School, regularly fights an internal battle between her timidity and courage to go after a larger
destiny. She admits her shyness made school hard at first, but now says, ”it’s not like I want attention, but it’s more- I want to be a
leader.” You will see her on the sidelines gathering and processing information at her own pace before stepping forward, which may be
one reason she excels in her roles as senior class vice-president and member of the drill team.

Julia’s role model is her older sister who did not have the benefit of EIF and is one of Julia’s biggest supporters when it comes to
continuing her education. Julia’s sister shared the same dream but due to her immigration status and limited support from her
counselor, she didn’t enroll in college. Julia says, ”Now [college] is my sister’s dream for me and everybody wants me to go, especially
my mom. They always say, ’We’ll find a way to pay, even if we don’t have a way, we’ll find a way.”

Julia’s been an EIF participant since her freshman year of high school and is planning on applying to the Universities of Texas including
Dallas, Austin, Arlington, and San Antonio. In addition she’s eyeing Texas Tech, A&M, and University of North Texas. With her natural
business skills, honed through middle school candy sales, she plans to study business and advertising.

While she struggles with calculus, she says, ”I like the challenge or I wouldn’t be in [Calculus].” When she gets frustrated she has
hobbies like dancing to Bachata, Cumbia, Sonidera, Salsa, and Merengue music to ease the tension.

Students like Julia show don’t let adversity define them rather their goals, drive, and dreams determine their future. You can help make
EIF scholars’ dreams a reality with a sponsorship. Half of your sponsorship supports EIF ’s comprehensive program and the other half
goes directly to an EIF scholar or scholars through a personalized, named scholarship.

Sponsors:

For more information, e-mail: ewts@educationisfreedom.org or call 214.432.8550